CONGRESS Geel, 12 & 13 May 2005

Who visited Geel?

An analysis of the “Registre des permis de visiter l’établissement”
Prof. Dr. Akira Hashimoto, Aichi Prefectural University (Japan)

Geel visitors from all over the world

This study analyzed the register book for Geel Colony visitors from 1892 to 1935 (“Registre
des permis de visiter l’établissement”). The Geel Colony, one of the most famous psychiatric
institutions in the world, attracted many foreign visitors and has been described in
psychiatric journals and books as an ideal village. In the period from 1892 to 1935, 901
people visited the colony (excluding some group visitors like students near Geel whose
number is unclear). Of these 901 visitors, the nationalities of 818 are known: 306 were from
Belgium and 512 were from other countries. Of the 512 foreign visitors, most were from
Europe (78%), followed by North America (11%) and Central and South America (6%)
[Fig.1]. There were two peak periods for foreign visitors. The first peak was from 1901 to
1905, and the second was from 1931 to 1935.

[Fig. 1] 512 foreign visitors [Fig. 2] Geel visitors from Germany and USA
Africa &
Asia (4%) Oceania (1%) Number of visitors
Central & South 6 (persons) 0 5 10 15 20 25 30
18
America (6%) 1892-1895
31
1896-1900
North America (11%) 1901-1905
54 1906-1910
1911-1915
1916-1920
1921-1925
Europe (78%) 1926-1930
403 (persons)
1931-1935

year Germany USA

In “Europe (78%)” , 19 visitors
from Russia are included.

The contexts of the visit: Germany and USA

The contexts of the visit, however, differed. The first peak was marked by a great number of
visitors from Germany. At the beginning of the 20th Century, psychiatric reform was
underway in Germany and being implemented on the local level, and German psychiatrists
and mental health officials traveled to Geel to inspect the facilities. They placed a high
priority on psychiatric foster-family care and promoted policies that supported it. After about
1910, the interest in psychiatric foster-family care began to fade, as the economic crisis
following World War I made it difficult to afford such care. Later, in the years after 1931, the
number of visitors from the United States reached a peak. Their interest in Geel was surely
affected by the discussion at the First International Congress on Mental Hygiene in 1930 in
Washington, where Dr. Sano (director of Geel Colony) presented their foster-family care
[Fig.2].
CONGRESS Geel, 12 & 13 May 2005

The Japanese visitors

The changing contexts of Geel visits were reflected also in the Japanese who visited
including the prominent psychiatrists Shuzo Kure in 1901, and Tsuneo Muramatsu in 1935.
Kure, who studied from 1897 to 1901 in Austria and Germany, was influenced by the
interests and enthusiasm of the German-speaking psychiatrists of that time. On the other
hand, Muramatsu’s visit was inspired by the “mental hygiene movement” in the United
States, where he studied from 1933 to 1935.

According to the register book, Shuzo Kure (1865-1932) visited Geel in 1901 [Fig.3]. He was on the way to
Japan after finishing his 4 years study in Europe. Then, from 1901 to 1925, he was professor of psychiatry

at the University of Tokyo.

In the register book a letter of Clifford W. Beers, founder of “mental hygiene movement” in the United States,

is attached [Fig.4]. Beers introduced Tsuneo Muramatsu (1900 -1981) to Dr. Sano, director of Geel Colony.
Muramatsu was engaged in promoting mental hygiene in Japan.

[Fig. 3] Document of Kure [Fig. 4] Document of Muramatsu

Shuzo Kure 呉 秀三

Prof. Dr. Akira Hashimoto

Faculty of Letters, Aichi Prefectural University
Kumabari, Nagakute-cho, Aichi-gun, Aichi-ken 480-1198 Japan
e-mail: aha@lit.aichi-pu.ac.jp
CONGRESS Geel, 12 & 13 May 2005

Reference
512 foreign visitors (1892-1935) Country (number of visitors)
From 1892 to 1935, 901 people visited the Geel
colony (excluding some group visitors like
students near Geel whose number is unclear). Of
these 901 visitors, the nationalities of 818 are
known: 306 were from Belgium and 512 were from Norway (11) Finland (7)

other countries. Sweden (8)

Denmark (9) Russia (19)

UK (51)
Ireland (9) Poland (12)
Neth.(65) Germany (65)
Lux.(2) Czech/Slovakia (9)
France (53) Austria (16)
Switz.(18) Hungary (10)
Rumania (3)
Canada (4) Bulgaria (1)
Spain (19) Italy (15)

Portugal (1)

USA (50)
Japan (8)
Algeria (1) China (1)

Mexico (1) Cuba (2)

Dominica (1) India (4)
Philippines (4)
Colombia (2)

Indonesia (1)
Brazil (6)

Paraguay (1) Australia (1)

Chile (7) Uruguay (8) South Africa (3)
Argentina (3)
New Zealand (1)